Kerber capitalized whenever she caught Pliskova’s weaknesses, and then lined her signature left-handed forehand to win the set.
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Kerber slipped into negativity in the second set and stopped the slide by thinking about her Australian Open final against Serena Williams.
Kerber, by contrast, was used to competing on the big stage, having played two major finals already this year. For now, though, let’s appreciate the fantastic year that Angelique Kerber has had to get to #1.
“Even when she was down a set and break she was still fighting”.
“You saw it in the match”, he said.
“I had so much pressure on my shoulders”, Kerber said.
And the example Kerber sets for any young person is remarkable. Pliskova served out the second set and spiked a ball. She conjured her best when it mattered most and tapped into reserves of energy and will as a determined opponent in the form of her career wilted in the oppressive NY humidity.
Williams was beaten by Kerber in the Australian Open final, lost to Garbine Muguruza in the French Open final, beat Kerber to win Wimbledon, before succumbing to Pliskova in NY.
But at the outset of this final, it was Kerber who was in charge.
Victoria Azarenka went from No.7 to No.11. Kerber was successful in converting her two break point attempts while managing to save one of Pliskova’s two break point opportunities. Undoubtedly, this has been the best year of 13-year tour veteran’s career; with two Grand Slam wins, one Grand Slam runner-up finish and an Olympic silver medal.
“This is also special that she is German”.
The woman who overtook 22-time Grand Slam women’s singles champion Serena Williams for the top ranking in the WTA added that she is just as motivated as ever to improve her game.
“You can not compare those two (Serena Williams and Kerber)”, explained Pliskova.
Pliskova was the first player to take a set off Kerber at Flushing Meadows.
“First of all, my fitness and then to being more aggressive and go for it when I have the chance”. Pliskova, the first Czech woman in the US Open final since Helena Sukova in 1993, had defeated both Serena and Venus Williams to reach the final.
Faced with the challenge, Kerber admitted she was “a little negative” in the second set. I’m the number one player on Monday. “But I think that’s also her strength”.
“And to being No. 1, of course now everybody will try to beat me and have nothing to lose”. On one that went 15 shots, Pliskova tried a drop shot that Kerber sprinted to reach before scooping a down-the-line forehand victor to a corner. “I’m trying to enjoy all the moments on court and also off court and it’s just incredible”.
They dropped only one service game and won 71 percent of first-serve points against their unseeded opponents. Pliskova had never even made a Grand Slam round of 16 before this tournament, but she upset Serena Williams in the semifinals to advance to Saturday’s championship match.
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“I was always dreaming to being one day to being No. 1 and to be in the Grand Slams”, Kerber said. “I was expecting a very tough match”. “I really tried to play more intensely in practice and not play like maybe two, three hours just like that”. I learned a lot on the mental side and everything came together now.
